


An Icy Heart

by The_Lonely_Goddess



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, Jack Feels, Jack Has Issues, Vampire AU, Vampire Guardians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 00:16:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1707854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lonely_Goddess/pseuds/The_Lonely_Goddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack was turned into a vampire and is alone in his cave with his insane bloodlust. In shock he is told that he is to join the Guardians in order to fight the dangerous vampire Pitch Black. When the battle has ended something is up with Jack and the Guardians have to quickly find out what's wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> All flames will be used to heat my hot cocoa which will be used to heat my magical hot cocoa which I shall drink and laugh at how you think you're better than me.

Manny was the oldest vampire in existence and many called him the first, but if he was the first how did he come to be? Well, whether he is the first or not he's certainly not telling anyone. He once had two apprentices, two young boys who wished to be the same as he. Manny indulged the boys with a gentle smile, even though he was an immortal being who feasted on human blood he did have the tendency to get bored and lonely, he found that those two feelings often went together hand in hand. He allowed the boys to live with him and got to know them for a year before he made his decision. The first thing he told the two children was that their names were from their old life and from that moment on they were reborn. Both boys obeyed perfectly and then they began their year of lessons and getting to know each other.

One of these boys, Manny found, struggled with directions, often doing what he thought was best rather than what he was told was best while the other boy followed his instructions exactly as he was told. He never overstepped Manny's boundaries even though he was given many opportunities to do so.

At the end of the year Manny stood in the dining hall of his home and looked the two boys over. He truly didn't know what to do Then he took a deep breath, making his decision.

He looked towards the child who obeyed only if his inner voice thought it was a good idea. He took a deep breath and smiled gently. "Sanderson Mansnoozie." the golden haired boy smiled and nodded.

His gaze moved to the boy who always listened. "Kozmotis Pitchiner." the child puffed up his chest and got a prideful expression.

"My boys." he looked at both of them. "I have made my decision. Sanderson Mansnoozie, you shall join me in immortality."

Sanderson's eyes widened. "B-but sir-"

"Sanderson, you do as you are told, but you also have a heart that cannot be silenced. I would be honored for you to accept my hand for all eternity."

Neither noticed that Kozmotis was fuming until he couldn't stay silent. "How dare you?!"

Manny looked at the black haired child. "What do you mean?"

"I did everything that you asked of me whether I wanted to or not and you accept him and not me?!" he yelled furiously.

Manny frowned at this outburst. "That is why I did not accept your request Kozmotis. You followed blindly, showing me that your heart was already dead."

"You'll regret this vampire. You will forever regret this." then he stormed out of the castle, making a large amount of noise as he went.

Sanderson blinked. "Sir, do I truly deserve this honor?"

Manny moved his attention back to the golden child... His golden child. "Yes Sanderson. I think you do." he then stood and moved to the child. "I do not want to frighten you so I shall tell you what I will do and then you may choose whether or not to continue along this path. You must be wary because once you begin down this path, you cannot return to mortality. You will forever be a vampire."

Sanderson nodded seriously. "I will."

Manny smiled then he too was composed. "I will drink your lifeblood until you can feel death's cold grasp, then I shall replace the blood I have taken with my own. You will then feel pain and weariness and you will fall asleep. When you awaken you will be as I am. Sun will be your enemy. Blood will be your only source of life. As you age holy symbols will lose their power to weaken you and you may dine upon food and drink as mortals do. In the beginning the food of humans will make you ill so you they may not pass your lips for fear that you may not make it. Do you still wish to join me in immortality?"

The whole time Sanderson was silent and listened dutifully. "I do." his voice was gentle and composed.

Manny smiled, it was truly amazing that the first mortal he had offered his blood accepted. He nodded. "Shall we go to your chambers?"

In Sanderson's room Manny told the boy to lay on his bed and he sat beside him. "Are you sure?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yes sir."

Manny then bent over the child and sank his fangs into his soft neck. The hot blood poured over his tongue and he swallowed it eagerly. He drank until he heard the boy's heart begin to slow then he straightened and drew a sharp nail along his wrist. He held his wrist to his golden child's mouth. "Drink Sanderson."

Sanderson began to drink. It was simple swallows at first, but as his strength returned to him and clutched his master's wrist close and sucked on it with vigor. When Manny knew he'd had enough he pulled away. "You're doing excellent." he breathed as Sanderson cried out, tears slipping down his cheeks. "It's okay child. It is just death. Just mortal death. You will awaken once more as the sun sets." the boy's heart stopped and his breathing froze. Manny kissed Sanderson's forehead. "I will be here when you awaken."

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

When Sanderson opened his eyes he saw Manny sitting at his side. "Hello my boy. How do you feel?"

Sanderson opened his mouth to talk, but found that he couldn't make any noise. He threw a panicked glance to Manny, his now-golden eyes shimmering with terror.

"My blood changed a few things. I am sorry you voice has left you." Manny said mournfully. The sound of pain Sanderson had made right before his death flashed through his mind and he hated himself more than he ever thought he could.

Sanderson laid his hand over Manny's and smiled.  _It's okay_ , he mouthed.

Manny laughed softly at the fledgling's huge heart. "Thank you Sanderson."

Sanderson gasped lightly and touched his throat, pain glistening in his eyes.

"Here you are." Manny held out a glass of blood. They would go out hunting another night, but for now he needed to get to know his new body and rest.

Sanderson took the goblet with desperation and gulped it down, gasping loudly.

Manny rubbed the boy's back. "Sh... Slower." he murmured.

Sanderson slowed down and when he was finished he slumped into Manny's arms. Manny held him close and murmured comforting words in his ear. "Breathe. While you do not need oxygen it helps your muscles relax."

The fledgling vampire took deep breaths and gazed into Manny's silver eyes. When he was calm Manny showed him his speed and his strength. When the night neared its ending Manny took Sanderson to his coffin and they held each other, one wanting the comfort and the other needing it.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

Over the years Sanderson learned that he could summon golden sand that gave people good dreams and could send people to sleep, this was a trick that he often used on Manny whenever he seemed over-stressed. They both knew that Manny could halt the sand's power against him if he really wanted to, but Sanderson's intentions in it made it worthwhile.

After several hundred years together Sandeson left to find his own way. Over time he found other companions that he made vampires. There was Nicholas St. North, the Russian bandit with a seemingly unhealthy obsession with children's toys. E. Aster Bunnymund, an Australian with amazing skills in martial arts and loved Easter. Then there was Tooth, a speedy woman who studied teeth... for  _fun_.

Over the years neither of them ever forgot Kozmotis' threat and neither knew what was coming for them.


	2. The Change

Manny walked through the forest. It had been a long time since he last saw Sanderson and that was okay. His fledgling was no longer a young child, but a vampire strong enough to make his own avatar, which was a figure made of sand. From what he'd hear no one had seen his blood child's actual body in quite a long time. He sighed softly and was about to leave when he heard the most peculiar thing. There were people on the ice, now that wasn't the abnormal part of the whole experience, the thing he found strange was that there were two small children on the ice while it was thin. He could smell where it was thin and the scent of water wafted through.

He stopped to watch, his interest having been caught as though it was a simple fish in a net. He wandered to the two children and admired the beautiful coloring that only humans seemed to have. One was a boy about seventeen years of age and a young girl at about twelve to thirteen years of age. They were giggling and darting around the ice. The girl seemed to be scared of the frozen water while the boy danced and twirled as if he was born of the cold weather so many despise.

Many was, surprisingly, enjoying himself as he watched the two children slide across the ice until he hear a loud cracking noise. The girl had made her way to the thin ice. Manny was about to intervene until he heard the boy speak.

"It's okay. It's okay! Don't look down. Look at me."

"Jack, I'm scared." the girl whimpered.

"I know, I know, but you're going to be alright. You're not going to fall in. We're going to have a little fun instead!"

"No we're not!" she cried.

"Would I trick you?" he grinned.

"Yes! You always play tricks!" the girl cried.

"Alright. Well not this time. I promise. I promise you're gonna be... You're gonna be fine. You just have to believe in me. You wanna play a game?!" he brightened. "We're gonna play hopscotch, like we play every day. It's as easy as uh... One." he nearly fell.

Manny felt that if he had a heartbeat it would be racing. He was rooting for the brave child.

"Two... Three! Alright, now it's your turn."

The girl was smiling now, ready for her turn. The fear was chased away with laughter and fun.

"One." Jack counted. The girl nearly fell with a gasp. "Two... Three!" he wrapped the hooked end of his staff around her waist and yanked her forward. The momentum caused him to fly forward and trade places with his kid sister. Their eyes met and they both were smiling until an even louder crack than before filled the air and Jack fell through the ice.

"Jack!" the girl screamed, lunging forward.

Manny watched as she knelt on the ice crying and screaming for Jack to come back, but there was no answer. Soon she stood and left as if she could feel nothing and she was too numb to even notice that she left her brother's staff.

When she was gone Manny lurched forward and dove into the water. He grabbed the boy's body and climbed out. The boy should have been dead, but Manny had to try. He just had to!

His warm blood passed through Jack's lips and filled his mouth. After a moment he swallowed weakly and then he swallows grew stronger.

When he'd given up as much blood as the boy needed Manny pulled away and cradled the soon-to-be fledgling. Then he heard deep laughter.

"Hello sir."

"Kozmotis." Manny said, standing. The water that had been on his skin had frozen into ice. Manny turned and looked at his old student who now had golden eyes and grey skin. He looked like something out of a nightmare.

"I actually go by Pitch Black now. That whole new name, new life lesson was an excellent one." he grinned, revealing that now all of his teeth were pointed.

"Fitting name."

"You find yourself a new pet?"

"Not so much a pet as a child who needed saving."

"If you do not abandon him, I shall kill him."

"Why do you want him?"

"I now feed on fear and a new vampire unable to feed or leave a specific area will produce as much fear as I need."

"Why should I do this?"

"I am very strong and if I so wish I can kill those Guardians your old pet so loves. If you wish to save him from that grief give the boy to me."

"As you wish, but know this Kosmotis, I will return for him." Manny responded, his voice colder than the ice he stood on.

"Fair enough. That just makes it more fun." Pitch hissed.

Manny carried the boy to a cave in the rocks surrounding the lake and laid him inside. He then grabbed the staff and laid it beside him. Manny admired the boy as his skin paled to a nearly translucent white and his hair became a silver so light that it too made him think it was white at first. Manny knelt and whispered into the boy's ear then he left the cave.

"I must take my leave now Pitch Black, and I must say... It wasn't too nice seeing you again."

"Good bye sir. I don't think we'll be seeing each other again."

"No I do not think so." Manny said then he vanished.

Pitch's gaze moved back to the child in the cave and he smirked. This was truly turning into a wonderful advantage.


	3. The Guardian

**Three Hundred Years Later**

North sat at his desk in Alaska working on his latest toy design and he was doing quite well... Until the door slammed open and North's chisel slide to one side, knocking off a good chunk of the overall design.

North gasped and the yeti made a wailing noise.

"What did I say about needing to knock!?" North yelled, he was angry. He'd spent quite a bit of time on that design and now it was ruined!

The yeti garbled something out.

"Pitch?" North asked, then he grabbed his sabers and headed for what he liked to call the Globe Room. "Pitch Black." he whispered as black shadows poured around the Globe.

"We must call the other Guardians." he murmured to himself as he pressed the button that was connected to Sandy's plane, Bunny's nature reserve, and Tooth's dentistry organization.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

North paced as each of the Guardians arrived. Tooth was surrounded with the little girls she changed into vampires to be her helpers. Her newest hid behind her mama, her mismatched eyes darting around the room. Bunny stood by the fireplace trying to warm up his feet. Sandy floated in, his sand avatar waving at them all. None of them had seen his actual form in nearly a thousand years, but they had gotten used to the short round man he'd formed to take his place. No one had any idea where Sandy was hiding, not even his own fledglings.

"Snow?! Why do you live in a snowy place North?!" Bunny whined loudly, nursing his freezing feet. Bunny was a tan Aussie... Well, tan for a vampire. He had tribal tattoos on his biceps, forehead, and thighs. The Aussie vampire tended to wear T-shirts, cargo pants, and boots so the only tattoos they could see on a regular basis were the ones on his forehead. He wore his long grey-blue hair in pigtails tied at the base of his neck. He also got the power to make tunnels to any destination he wished.

Tooth had once had black hair and dark brown eyes with tan skin, but she had paled to a creamy white and her eyes turned purple. Her biggest change was her hair. She had a bunch of different shades of greens and purples in her hair that seemed to sparkle in the right lighting.

North really hadn't changed at all and he was perfectly okay with that.

"Bunny, it keeps up ze image." North smiled. "But zat is of no importance. Pitch has returned."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Pitch? The guy who hides under beds?"

"Zat is ze one."

"Did you see 'im?"

"Well... No. Not exactly."

"Then how do you know?"

"I feel it. In my belly!"

Then yet another argument began between the two who seemed to always be arguing whether it was about Easter or Christmas, toys or eggs, snow or sun they were always arguing about something whether it was an important topic or not they were arguing about something. Now, their arguments didn't meant they weren't friends, it just meant that they were different people who had different opinions and still managed to stand beside each others sides when they needed it.

As the shouting match got louder and louder Sandy tried to get attention by jumping up and down, making many symbols with his sand, and waving his arms. He almost got Tooth's attention, but her Baby Teeth got her attention as they held out different forms that needed her signature.

Sandy finally got fed up with his silence and grabbed an elf. He took a deep breath and shook it with vigor. The bell on top of the elf's head rang loudly through out the large room.

All eyes moved to Sandy.

"What is it Sandy?" North asked.

Sandy formed an arrow and pointed it at the skylight.

"Ah Sandy. Why you not say something?"

Sandy fumed in his silent way.

"Manny, what is it old friend?"

"My good friends, Pitch Black has returned to power and this time you will need help in order to defeat him."

"What do ya mean?" Bunny asked.

"He is choosing new Guardian." North said carefully.

"His name is Jack Frost and he is in..." his voice got quieter as his power faded with the moon in the sky. "Burgess..." then he was silent.

"Jack Frost? Who is Jack Frost?"

"He is... New Guardian." North said with a smile. "To ze Sleigh!" he said with gusto.

"Nah uh mate. I'm takin' mah tunnels." Bunny said, tapping his foot on the ground. He was gone before North could stop him.

The Sleigh was actually just a giant ship that was silent so not many saw it unless they were looking for it.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

In Burgess they all met up and gazed at the lake in front of them. Manny had lit up the lake kindly. They all were old enough that they could withstand the sun, but for safety measure they used the concoction that North had created with some of Manny's blood. The cream allowed them to go into the sunlight without any fear of being hurt.

"Mate, I don't think anyone is here." Bunny said.

"Of course zere is!" North said loudly.

"Shush. Guys! Look!" Tooth pointed at a cave hidden in the far corner of the lake.

All of their eyes darted to where the cave was and they all nearly gasped when they saw glowing red eyes from the dark cave.

North steeled himself and stepped forward. He nearly darted back when he heard the vampire inside growl dangerously.

"Ah.. Maybe someone else should try?" North asked, retreating off the frozen lake.

"I'll try." Bunny said, his voice dripping with courage. He stepped onto the ice, expecting the creature to be angry but nothing happened. He braved another step then another and another.

"You can see me?" a small voice asked.

"I can see ya mate."

A small boy stepped into the sunlight. He looked around seventeen and had silvery-white hair, nearly translucent skin, and his eyes glowed red with hunger. "You can really see me?" he asked gently.

"Yes." he whispered.

The boy darted into the sunlight and the scent of burning flesh filled Bunny's nose. He held out his arms and took the child into his arms. He then ran to North. "Coat. Now!" he growled.

North took off his thick red coat and gave it to Bunny who wrapped it around the boy.

"Are you Jack Frost?" Bunny asked.

He nodded. "Yes. I-I need my staff." he rasped.

"Tooth can you get that?"

She nodded and grabbed the curved staff from the cave.

Jack made a soft moaning noise.

"What is it?" Bunny asked.

"I'm so hungry." he rasped.

"We're gonna get you some food." Bunny said softly and headed for the Sleigh.

Inside the Sleigh Bunny pulled out some chilled blood bags and when he turned around he looked at Jack who stared at the blood with a hunger that Bunny was positive he'd never felt before. He handed over the blood bags and Jack sank his fangs into one, tearing at it violently. He gulped down the blood and moved from bag to bag faster than Bunny thought was possible.

After eight bags Jack sat there with blood dripping down his chin and his eyes were now a glistening icy blue.

Bunny smiled softly and got a rag, wiping the blood off the boy's face. "Feel better?"

He nodded slowly. "Thank you." he said as he watched his injuries heal.

"So, how old are you?" Bunny asked, leaning against the wall of the ship as North began to fly them home.

"Three hundred years." Jack responded softly.

"Ah huh... And why didn't you leave that cave?"

"Couldn't."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Whenever I tried to leave it caused a lot of pain and it didn't stop until I went back... I never left more than a few times."

"What did you do for blood?"

"Hoped animals came inside." he whispered.

Bunny stared at the child in shock. "And how often did that happen."

"A lot in the beginning then they learned that going inside was dangerous... It's been a while since the last animal came in. That was a squirrel."

Bunny inhaled sharply. Animal blood for three hundred years. "Wait. Didn't anyone ever come inside?"

"Yeah. Only kids though... I couldn't hurt them. Sometimes I had to scare them away and that was so hard. I didn't want them to go."

"What did you mean when you asked if I could see you?"

"They never saw me unless they entered the cave. Even when I left they couldn't see or hear me. they didn't ever realize that I was screaming..." he whispered, blood-tinted tears sliding down his face.

"Why did you leave the cave if it would hurt?"

"I wanted to... to... feel you. I was so lonely that I just... I needed to be touched. I didn't feel like I needed to bite you so I knew you would be safe."

"You don't ever have to go back." Bunny whispered. He took a moment to look the boy over. He was dressed in tight leather pants with frost keeping the fabric together, a colonial white puff shirt, and a brown leather cloak. "But right now, we need to get you some new clothes." Bunny said with a smile.

Jack finally looked at him. "And maybe a bath?"

Bunny laughed. "'O course." he grinned.

Jack hopped off the table and held out a hand. "I'm Jack Frost."

"Bunny." the older vampire said, holding out his own hand.

"Thank you Bunny. Thank you for not leaving me in that cave."

"I would never do that." Bunny responded softly, feeling something strange and unfelt in a long time stirring in his chest. "Now let's get you cleaned up."

"Okay." Jack said, his smile huge.

The two vampires walked out of the healing room and headed for the bathroom.


	4. The Meeting

When Jack saw the large bathroom he seemed intimidated making Bunny laugh softly. "It's just a bathroom." Then he realized that if Jack was three hundred years old and had been stuck in a cave the entire time then he'd never seen a bathroom. "Come on Jack." he said softly.

Jack wandered inside and looked around in confusion.

"This is the shower." Bunny said walking over to the shower. It was built into the wall with a glass door and several shower-heads built into the wall and one in the ceiling. There were an abnormal amount of soap that even Bunny couldn't name all of them and what to use them on.

"What's a shower?" he asked softly.

"It sprays ya with water rather than ya having to soak in it."

Jack steps closer and opens the door. He peeked in and looked around. "It's huge!" he gasped.

Bunny laughed. "A little too big if you ask me." he watched the awe bloom in Jack's eyes as he looked around the shower.

"Does it work?" Jack asked.

"O course it does." he sneaked an arm around Jack and turned it on, but only the shower-head on the ceiling. He didn't want to terrify the poor child.

Jack gasped and water poured from the ceiling. "It's like a waterfall!"

"I guess it is." Bunny said. He'd gotten so used to the advances in medicine and science so to see someone tossed into the future was a new experience.

"Could you help me?" he asked softly.

Had Bunny fed that night he would have blushed. "Ah... Normally ya shower alone..."

"But I don't know how to work it." Jack whispered.

Bunny bit his lip and pondered it. "Ah... Sure..."

Jack frowned. "You don't want to..."

That wasn't the case. Bunny really did want to join Jack, but he had gotten so used to the fact that in this day and age people just didn't bathe together unless they were in a relationship... But Jack was born in a time when people bathed together to preserve water and he didn't know that people didn't need to preserve water that way...

"Don't worry about it shrimp. I'll help you out this one time, but nowadays people don't bathe together unless their in a relationship."

"Oh. You don't have to join me then..." Jack whispered, his gaze moving downward.

"I wouldn't abandon ya." Bunny chuckled. "Now, let's get in the shower before Tooth comes hunting for ya."

Jack smiled at Bunny and then looked down again, fidgeting.

"What is it now?" Bunny asked, fighting a smile at how adorable Jack was being.

"Huh? Oh. It's nothing." he smiled and unclasped his cloak, catching it before it fell to the floor. He folded the worn leather and laid it on the sink counter then pulled off his white shirt which fell to the floor in scraps. Blood turned Jack's face as he picked it up. "Sorry." he muttered.

"Don't worry about it." Bunny responded, his eyes on Jack's revealed body. He could see the boy's ribs through his skin which was coated in dirt and streaked with old blood from past feedings. "I am so sorry Jack." Bunny whispered.

"For what?"

"For not finding you! I should have saved you!"

Jack laughed softly. "Don't you see? You did find me. That's what I'm happy about. You didn't know I was there meaning you couldn't have saved me. Had you known I was there and left me I wouldn't be too happy about that, but you found out I was there and instantly came to me. I thank you for that."

This was the longest Jack had said since Bunny found him and he didn't know how to respond at all so he just smiled. "Let's get you cleaned up." he smiled.

Jack nodded quickly and jumped into the shower, wincing a bit as the water hit his body.

Bunny quickly stripped down and stepped inside, when the water hit his body his yelped. "Crikey that's cold!"

"Really?" Jack asked wonderingly. "It think it's a little too warm."

"You have been outside way too long." Bunny said, his teeth chattering violently. He turned the knob so the water would be warmer. He then got some body soap. "This is what you use to wash you're body."

Jack nodded and used the liquid soap to wash himself.

Bunny refused to let the boy out of the shower until the water ran clear.

They both toweled off and Bunny gave Jack a dark blue hoodie and some jeans then turned away to get dressed himself. When he turned back Jack stood there with the hoodie on and his old leather pants. "What's wrong with the jeans?"

"These are more comfortable..." Jack said in a small voice, his walls back up.

"No worries." Bunny grinned, his eyes catching the frost spreading across Jack's new hoodie.

Jack grabbed his staff and smiled at Bunny. "What are we doing now?"

"Let's take you to see the other Guardians."

As they walked down the hall Jack bombarded Bunny with questions. "Why are you called the Guardians?"

"We protect humanity... Specifically children from anything evil."

Jack nodded. "What kind of evil?"

"Well, are latest battle is going to be against a vampire named Pitch Black. Rather than feeding on blood he feeds on fear."

"Oh." Jack went silent.

After a moment Bunny noticed that there was frost on Jack's staff. "What's up with all the frost?"

"I can control ice." he murmured.

"You can what?!"

"Ice. I can control ice." Jack said.

"Can you show us?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah."

Bunny opened the door to the main room in the Sleigh and entered behind Jack.

"Ah! Jack Frost, I am Nicholas St. North." North held out his hand with a large smile.

Jack took his hand hesitantly.

North bellowed out a laugh and shook his hand then pulled away.

Tooth zipped up. "Hey Jack! Oh my you look a lot better! Can I see your teeth?!"

"Wha-?" Jack asked right as Tooth shoved her fingers into his mouth.

"Oh! They sparkle just like freshly fallen snow!" Tooth cooed.

"Tooth! Fingers out of mouth." North lectured.

"Sorry." she pulled away. "They are beautiful." she said.

Sandy stepped forward and analyzed Jack before smiling and holding out his hand.

Jack took Sandy's hand and gasped lightly at the texture. "Sand. You're made of sand!" his eyes met Sandy's.

Sandy smiled and waved a bit.

When Jack got over his shock North looked at him. "Jack who made you?"

"The moon." Jack answered without any thought.

All of their eyebrows shot up. "What do ya mean mate?" Bunny asked.

"The moon made me. He pulled me out of the lake and placed me in that cave." Jack insisted.

"And that's why you can control ice." Bunny said. "Only vampires made directly from Manny are that strong."

"Ice? What do you mean Bunny?" Tooth asked.

"Can you show us now Jack?"

Jack bit his lip and nodded. He clicked the butt of his staff on the floor and ice began to move across the floor.

Bunny jumped away. "Whoa!"

Jack frowned and clutched his staff close. "Sorry."

"So Manny is the one who put you in that cave?"

Jack nodded. "It hurt whenever I tried to leave. No one could see me when I screamed. Why couldn't they see me?" he whimpered and began to cry.

Bunny took the boy into his arms and tucked the child's head under his chin. "Sh... You're okay. We're here. We can see you."

Jack trembled in Bunny's arms and pressed closer, seeking that contact.

The other Guardians looked at each other and exchanged looks. Not one of them knew what had happened when they were gone, but obviously something happened.

When Jack was calm again he looked at the others. "Any other questions?" he asked softly.

"If they do they can ask me or they can wait. You need to sleep." Bunny said.

Jack nodded.

"Phil! Take Jack to a bedroom!" North ordered.

A yeti came forward and took a reluctant Jack out of the room.

Bunny looked at the others and was kind of surprised at their expressions. "What?"

"Bunny... Have you not made the connection?" Tooth asked quietly.

"Between what?"

"Jack's powers and what happened in "68." she said slowly, waiting for Bunny's reaction.


	5. The Bond

Bunny ground his teeth and clenched his fists. "You are stepping on very thin ice Toothiana." he snarled.

"Just think about it Bunny!"

"I did. I can see similarities, but I can't blame him for my loss."

"Just... Just talk to him about it Bunny. Okay?" she smiled softly.

He paused then nodded. "I'll go do that." he snapped, walking out of the room.

At Jack's door he paused then knocked.

"Come in." came Jack's voice.

Bunny opened the door and he saw Jack sitting up in bed with his hair all mussed up. "Hi Bunny!" Jack said with a large smile.

"Jack... I have a question."

"Okay. Shoot. Heaven knows I've asked a lot."

"In 1968, it was an Easter Sunday, did you cause a blizzard? It would have been a large blizzard."

Jack paled and he looked down. "Yes. I did. A child entered my cave and I couldn't get them to leave... I fed on them... Him. It was a small boy around the age of eight. He wouldn't leave! When I saw what I had done the blizzard started. I couldn't stop it!" he clenched the blanket in his trembling fists.

Bunny was frozen.

Jack started to cry, his tears freezing on his cheeks in his anxiety.

"I... Jack..." he fought the urge to punch the kid. "I need to go."

"Bunny? What did I do?!" Jack cried.

"You killed them!" Bunny screamed, whirling around. "I found the most beautiful woman and I loved her. She was the most important person in my life and she died in that blizzard! She froze to death in the middle of all that snow and I was going to propose to her. I had a ring and everything. Your lack of control murdered my beloved Lily!" he roared.

Jack cringed into the bed. "I-I... I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. I never thought it was that bad. I knew it was big but I didn't know how bad it was... I'm sorry."

"She was the first person I loved since my entire village was wiped out by Pitch Black." Bunny said, his voice weak.

Jack trembled as he stood. "I can't... I shouldn't be here. I'm sorry." he grabbed his staff.

"How are you going to leave?" Bunny asked before he could stop himself.

"I have ways." he whispered. "I'm sorry Bunny." then he headed for the door.

Bunny grasped Jack's shoulder. "I'm sorry mate. I'm still a little... tender. I've lived so long that it's hard to let go of pain."

Jack looked at Bunny in shock. "Bunny..."

"I shouldn't have blamed you. I'm sorry. You didn't know. I can't promise that it won't still sting, but I will try to not blame you."

Jack grinned. "Thanks... You need blood." Jack said softly. "You're really pale."

Bunny started to laugh. "I just yelled at you and you're trying to take care of me?"

Jack blushed a light pink. "I'm also hungry and I don't want to go alone." he whispered, embarrassed.

Bunny laughed louder. "C'mon." he chuckled. "Let's go."

In the kitchen Bunny grabbed two blood bags and poured them into glasses. He handed one to Jack and took one for himself. After the first sip he realized just how hungry he really was. The blood was gone too soon and he looked at the glass forlornly.

Jack laughed and got up, grabbing another bag. He tossed it at a stunned Bunny. and went back to sit beside him. When he noticed that Bunny was watching him he got a concerned look. "What?"

Bunny was shocked at the difference between Jack around the other Guardians and Jack around him. He was so different. Around him Jack had so much confidence and thought about Bunny's comfort, but around the other Guardians he was shy and avoided talking at all. Bunny smiled at Jack. "Nothing. Just thinking." he drank some of his blood. "So... I think we should get to know each other better."

"What do you mean?"

"Like... What's your favorite color?"

Jack pondered on that. "Blue. Light blue. Like ice. I didn't see many colors in the cave and I kinda forgot what other colors looked like..."

Bunny frowned. Even though Jack told him it was okay he still felt really guilty every time he mentioned being alone and they'd only just met!

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "What's your favorite color?"

"Green."

"Like your eyes?" Jack asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No. Like the grass."

"They're the same in my opinion..." Jack said.

Bunny chuckled. "I still remember the first time I saw grass after I was urned. It was the most beautiful thing. I laid in the grass and smelled the clean sweet smell. There were so many different shades of green that came together and formed the best scene. It was just grass, but that was the first thing I saw and I loved it..." he said wistfully.

Jack smiled, listening silently.

"Sorry." Bunny blushed.

"No worries. So... Favorite fruit?"

Bunny laughed. "I like kiwi."

Jack made a face. "Too sour."

"I like it. That was the first thing I tasted when I could handle human food after I was turned. It was tart, but it was also sweet and there were so many flavors that came together."

"I like apples."

"How typical!"

"We weren't too rich when I was alive and even apples were a treat we couldn't often afford."

"Favorite flower?"

"Roses."

Bunny was taken aback. "Roses?"

"Yeah. I know it's the most typical thing, it was the same when I was human, but I always loved them. Each rose is unique and I've always loved the thought of finding someone I loved enough to bring them flowers... And maybe I could get flowers too." blood flooded his face. "I've never told anyone that before."

"Why not?"

"Only girls get flowers... I just would love for someone to care about me enough to bring me the most simple thing. I don't need anything expensive like a horse or a cow, but I would want someone to show me that they thought of me by just bringing me a simple flower. I wouldn't even need a lot of flowers, just one to show that they were thinking of me." Jack's voice was wistful as he stared down at his glass of blood. "I know it's girly, but I want to matter that much to someone."

Bunny smiled. "I completely understand."

"So... What's your favorite flower?"

"Tulip."

"Why?"

"It's a sign that spring has arrived and it's the start of a new beginning."

Jack smiled. "Much less typical than my flower."

"I like your reason." Bunny said softly.

"Favorite season?"

"Spring. Yours?"

"Winter. it feels right to sit in the snow. When I was human I loved to ice skate."

"I'd like to see you ice skate. There's a lake beside Santoff Clausen that's eternally frozen."

"Of course I'll show you. I haven't ice skated in years." he smiled.

Bunny was about to ask his question when the Sleigh shuddered and landed with a gentle thud. "We're here." he grinned.

"And the sun's down!" Jack cried. "Come on! Let's go!" he grabbed Bunny's hand and tugged him outside, his staff in his free hand.

Bunny laughed and waved at the other Guardians. "We'll be at the lake!"

Outside Jack stopped. "Where are we going now?"

Bunny chuckled. "This way." he took Jack to the lake that was two times larger than the lake they found him at.

Instantly Jack shoved his staff into Bunny's hands and was on the ice. He slid across the frozen water like he belonged. He twirled and leapt through the air, a serene expression on his face.

Bunny gaped openly. This boy certainly wasn't human, anyone would know that if they saw him on the ice... He didn't even look like he came from earth! There was an other-worldly beauty about Jack that hit Bunny in the heart, making him feel like he did every time he'd looked at Lily. Had anyone asked, he wouldn't have known if it was Jack that made him feel that way or the raw love the boy had for the ice he seemed born from.

"Bunny." North said softly, from behind him.

"Are you seeing the same thing as me North?"

"Da, and I need to know what is going on between you and the boy."

"For some reason he trusts me... Don't ask me why. I honestly don't know, he just does."

North nodded. "Don't hurt him. We still don't know how bad his years in the cave left him off. He might try to kill you off if you do the wrong thing."

"Jack couldn't hurt a fly." Bunny scoffed.

"You have known him for three hours Bunny. You don't know him."

Bunny returned his attention to the boy on the ice. Was he so starved for a life-long companion that he'd take advantage of the first person who showed even the slightest hint of being willing to be with him forever?


	6. The Battle

Tooth came running out, anxiety in her voice. "Pitch is at Tooth Palace!" she yelled. Then she vanished, using her powers of flight. Tooth can travel through the aether making it easier to travel long distances.

"Back on Sleigh!" North yelled.

Jack stopped then, sensing their urgency he leapt off the ice, the wind blowing through his hair and ran onto the Sleigh with Bunny on his heels.

As they approached Tooth Palace Jack gasped as black shadows stole the Baby Teeth. He stepped up to the window and jumped out.

"Jack!" Bunny yelled, running to the window, but he was met with a surprise. Jack was flying through the air slicing through the shadows fiercely.

North stopped the ship above the courtyard and lowered the ladder. North, Sandy, and Bunny left the ship to find Jack on the ground, cradling a Baby Tooth.

"Get on the ship Baby Tooth!" Jack cried.

The girl did as she was told without saying anything.

Jack stood and continued slicing through shadow, but suddenly the wave of the black creatures stopped. Jack looked around, unsure of what to think.

"Ah... Hello Jack Frost." an accented voice crooned darkly.

Jack spun around and gazed at Pitch.

"I didn't think you were strong enough to join such a battle."

"I-I'm not."

"Huh. Then I'm just going to ignore you, but you should be used to that."

Hurt glittered in Jack's eyes.

"Pitch!" Bunny ran forward, pushing Jack behind him. He glared furiously at Pitch. "What are you doing?!"

"I already have what I came for." Pitch held up a golden canister and waved it around.

"You give those back!" Tooth lunged forward, but a shadow shoved her back down.

"What are they?" Jack asked softly.

"Tooth's fangs." North said darkly.

"Why did she take them out?"

"Because I nearly killed someone I cared for with them. So I took them out." Tooth whispered.

"But why is it bad that Pitch has them?"

"Every vampire has something that they are connected to. Their life source you could say. Tooth's are her teeth." Pitch said with an evil chuckle. "If I destroy these she turns to dust."

Jack's eyes widened and his grasp on his staff tightened.

"Exactly Jack. Manny gave that to you with your sacrifice in mind." Pitch sneered as he paced in front of them, his moves languid like a panther stalking his prey.

Jack stepped back.

"Leave 'im alone Pitch!" Bunny yelled.

Pitch just laughed. "Now it's your turn to be alone." he snarled then faded into the shadows.

Tooth fell to her knees. "They're gone." she whispered.

"Mama!" Baby Tooth called, running over. She hugged Tooth and buried her face into Tooth's neck.

"Oh! Thank goodness one of you is safe." Tooth cooed and held Baby Tooth close.

Jack kind of drifted away and clutched his staff close. He was honestly feeling very mortal right now.

Bunny was about to move to Jack, but then North commented something. "Hey!" he snapped. "You said you'd never mention that again!"

North laughed loudly.

"Jack?" Tooth asked, walking over with Baby Tooth behind her.

"You all know him... And I'm just someone you found. He doesn't like me..." he leaned against his staff and closed his eyes.

"Come on. We're going to investigate your past." she said gently.

Jack didn't even process what she said he just followed Tooth onto the Sleigh.

They all sat in the meeting room with Phil driving the Sleigh.

"Jack, how did you fly?" Bunny asked.

"I didn't fly. The wind carried me." Jack said absentmindedly.

"The wind?"

He nodded. "I used to get the wind to bring me leaves and clothes kids left behind so that I could make some bedding. I figured that maybe it could carry me."

"Seriously?! You didn't know it would work?"

Jack shook his head. "I hoped."

Bunny rubbed his head. "You're bloody crazy."

"I was alone for three hundred, starving for food. Let's hope crazy is all I am." Jack said seriously, a light breeze fluttering through his hair.

Bunny was actually pretty concerned about that even though he wouldn't tell anyone if they'd asked. He didn't want Jack to be crazy or anything worse than that, but when you're alone for so long... There had to be negative effects.

"I'm not worried." Tooth said confidently.

Bunny smiled. Good ol' Tooth she was good at making people feel better. Bunny looked up at the ceiling of the Sleigh and sighed. The battle with Pitch Black had begun.

During the final battle Jack had returned after upsetting Bunny and the other Guardians. Jack returned carrying the tooth canister that carried Baby Tooth's teeth... but he didn't have Baby Tooth. The Guardians had been hurt by this betrayal and sent Jack away.

In the midst of the battle Pitch had somehow gained each of the Guardian's life source. North's was a wooden baby with huge eyes, Bunny's was a pair of glasses with a thin gold frame and green-tinted lenses, Sandy's was a star that had fallen to earth years ago, and of course Tooth's were her fangs. The only person who was safe was Jack.

Jack used his ice power to knock Pitch to the ground and blinked in shock as a golden locket bounced along the ground. The wind lifted Jack off the ground and he settled beside the locket. He picked it up and opened it then was shocked again when he saw a painting of a little girl with green eyes and black hair. "Who is she?"

"Give that back!" Pitch snarled darkly.

"No. I want to know who she is." Jack said, looking at the shade.

Pitch's gaze fell. "My daughter. She died a long time ago."

"Your transformation corrupted you." Jack whispered.

"Yes." he hissed. "It wasn't from a vampire with the power to create more. Instead it was a coven." he growled. "All of them came together. I tried to leave and they taunted me with her voice!"

All the Guardians blinked at the confession.

Jack knelt and held out the locket. "I'm so sorry. I understand."

"No! No one will ever understand!"

"I do. You're the reason I was left alone for so long... Wasn't it?"

Pitch stiffened then nodded. "Yes. I made an agreement with Manny. The dark ages were ending so there was less fear. I had to find a way to have fear and you were the best way."

Bunny snarled and nearly lunged forward, but North caught him.

Jack closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "I'm so sorry for you pain." then he stood. "But I will no longer be your feast." then he walked away only to look back when he heard a hissing noise.

Skeletal figures crawled out of the shadows.

"No!" Pitch yelled as the emaciated beings grasped and clawed at him until they were gone in the trees.

Jack stood there, chest heaving. "What were they?"

"Fearlings. Corrupted creatures whose transformations went wrong." Bunny said softly, approaching the boy.

"C-can we go?"

"O' course."

They got on the Sleigh and flew towards Santoff Clauson, none of them saying a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so hard to write! Please forgive this chapter and if you didn't like it I hope the next chapter makes you feel better.


	7. The Confession

Jack sat in the kitchen with a glass of blood. Jack looked down and rolled his eyes when he saw that his touch frosted the glass. He sat on the counter and drank some more. The Guardians had been harassing him and trying to be at his side as must as possible, but he needed to be alone.

He sighed and stared at the cooled blood in the glass. The red color was hypnotic, sucking him into its swirling depths full of foreboding and sensual comfort... What was wrong with him?! Jack practically threw the glass into the sink with a disgusted snarl the he sat on the floor. Just a week of freedom and he was already losing his mind?

"Frostbite?" the familiar Aussie asked from the doorway.

Jack sighed. "Down here."

Bunny made his way over and sat next to him, making a slightly pained noise as his joints popped. "I forgot the floor was so far down."

Jack found it in him to smirk. "Old man."

"Stuff it ya popsicle." Bunny said with a good-natured roll of his eyes.

Jack smiled and looked at his hands.

"What's buggin' ya Frostbite?"

"I just... After not having blood for so long I think I'm becoming obsessed..." he whispered and squeezed his eyes shut.

"No Jackie. I'm sure that's not it." Bunny said, having no clue on how to comfort the child so he wrapped an arm around the cold body beside him and held him close.

Jack leaned against him and turned his face against Bunny's warm body, enjoying the heat enveloping him.

Suddenly there was an ache in his fangs causing his entire body to stiffen. "B-Bunny." he whimpered.

"What is it mate?" he asked gently, looking down at the boy at his side.

"Please just go away." Jack whispered, pulling away from his friend.

"What is is Frostbite?" Bunny asked, reaching for the young vampire.

"Just go away Bunny." Jack hissed in response.

Bunny sighed. "Whatever." he stood and walked away.

Jack exhaled slowly then made his way into the pantry where he closed the door and curled up on the floor. It was similar to his cave and that comforted him somewhere deep down in his long-dead heart that enjoyed being in the dark surrounded by cold, unfeeling walls.

It was in that dark pantry that the power of the sun dragged him into the deepest sleep imaginable where the pain of reality left him.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

Several hours later Bunny sniffed out the young vampire who had been missing for several hours. He found him curled up in the dark, whimpering.

Bunny frowned and sat beside the boy, stroking his pale hair. "It's okay Frostbite." he murmured. "You're still not strong enough to stay awake while the sun's up, huh? Guess you can't fight the need to stay awake with starvation no longer hanging over your head." he leaned against the shelves and ran his fingers through Jack's soft, feathery hair. "I shouldn't have been angry at you before. About Lily. I'd accepted her death long ago, I really did, but that was too fresh. I've never killed before, I was never allowed to. I don't understand how it feels to kill someone. Please forgive me." he looked down at the boy and smiled. "You have no idea I'm here, do you?" he chuckled. "But that's okay. That's just fine." his voice went soft. "That's perfect."

The elder vampire picked Jack's limp form, weakened by sleep, and cradled him close. "I want you to know that my heart recognized you the moment I saw you. I knew you Jack. You are the one I want. You are the one I need Jack. I have waited for you for so long, you have no idea. I have waited so long." he rocked back and forth. "You have no idea how long I have waited for you, for this love I feel. Please Jack. I want you to know. I have loved and lost and hurt and bled for so long. My tribe is gone. My wife is gone. My child is gone. The love I thought I'd found again is gone. My mortality is gone. Please Jack. Understand." a pink tinged tear slid down the curve of his cheek.

"Bunny?" a gentle voice asked.

He stiffened and wiped away the tear. "Yes Tooth?" he asked.

"Whatcha doing?"

"He was missing so I hunted him down. He fell asleep in here so I'm hanging out with him." he shrugged.

"I heard you talking to him. Bunny, you don't know him. You can't love him. You just met him." she whispered as she sat down.

"You all know how it is. I'm the only one who has searched for their other half and now I've found him!"

This was true. North and Tooth were together then Sandy's heart yearned to return to Manny someday. Each of them had their true love except for him. They'd been kind and kept it from his presence, but he always knew that they were together. They all had their true loves, but he had been alone for so long and Bunny was so lonely...

"Bunny, you're just desperate for-"

"Leave me alone Tooth. I remember the love I held for my wife and I know the love I held for Lily... This is so much more than all of that combined. He's my other half. He's who I've been waiting for!"

"Then he deserves to know what's going on with his feelings. If he is your other half then he should feel it as well."

"Please don't tell him Tooth. What if I am wrong? I couldn't live with myself. I've been wrong before, I can be wrong again."

Tooth bit her lip. "But Bunny. He should know..."

"Please Tooth. If you care for me at all you won't tell him that I feel this way." Bunny's green eyes glittered with panic.

Tooth looked at him, almost swayed.

"Please." Bunny's voice was soft and pleading.

That did it. The woman sighed. "Alright, but I know how to figure out if he feels the same."

"How?"

"North and I explain how we feel for each other and how deep our emotions are. He may think that the description fits. Who knows? It may help rather than you two sitting around for several hundred years twiddling your thumbs." Tooth laughed softly.

Bunny smiled. "Okay, but don't tell him I feel that way about him."

"I know." Tooth rolled her eyes. "The sun is about to go down. I'll leave you two alone." she darted out of the room.

Bunny chuckled softly and laid Jack onto the ground and pulled out one of his eggs with some paint then began to pain swirls onto the pale surface.

A few minuets later Jack's eyes opened slowly. "B-Bunny?"

Green eyes met blue and the elder vampire smiled. "Hey Jack."

"Why are you in here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Bunny chuckled.

Jack's cheeks turned a light pink. "I like dark places. It feels more like..."

"Home?"

The icy teen nodded slowly. "Yeah. Home."

Bunny chuckled and ruffled Jack's hair. "I understand. So, are you hungry?"

Jack's eyes widened and he moved away in a panic. "N-no!"

Concern flashed in Bunny's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"J-just not hungry."

"Jack, that wasn't something so simple as you're not hungry. Now tell me, what's wrong?"

"I think I'm becoming like the fearlings?"

Bunny's memory flashed to the night before and he remembered Jack saying something similar. "Jackie, don't worry about that. They're corrupt because of how they were turned, not because they fed so much."

Jack shook his head. "No Bunny. You don't understand." tears slipped down the boy's cheeks and fear hit Bunny's heart as he saw that the pink tinge that was usually in vampire tears wasn't in Jack's tears. There wasn't enough blood in Jack's system. He was so used to intense hunger that he didn't know when his hunger got too dangerous.

"Jack, you need to feed."

"I won't!" Jack stood, grabbed his staff, and ran out of the pantry as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast for a vampire.

Bunny darted after him and grabbed his arm. "You need to feed Jack."

Jack slumped against Bunny. "Why don't you have to feed so often?" he whimpered.

"Because I'm older and my body is used to regular feedings."

Jack began to sob against Bunny. "I don't want to be like this! I want to go back to my cave!"

Bunny wrapped his arms around Jack and held him close. "Sh... Don't say that. We're going to help you. I promise."

Jack trembled against Bunny's strong body. "I wish Manny had never saved me."

A dark red tear slid down Bunny's cheek, he wiped it away and knelt in front of Jack. "It's okay. I'm happy I met you and I know North and Tooth and Sandy feel the exact same way. You belong here with us. With the Guardians."

Jack stared at Bunny with wide, icy blue eyes. "You really think that?"

"I don't just think it, I believe it. The question is, do you believe it?"

The teen bit his lip then nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I do."

"Good." Bunny laughed. "Now, you need to feed. No arguing. If you feed without complaining you can help me paint some eggs. I have a big Easter Egg hunt every year at my nature reserve and I need some help preparing for all those little ankle bitahs." he smiled as Jack's eyes glowed.

"You'll really let me help?!"

"Only if you feed without complaining."

Jack nodded. "Okay!" he stood. "C'mon!"

Bunny laughed as the child dragged him down the hall back to the kitchen.


	8. The Truth

Over the next few days Jack painted with Bunny like a madman. He was obsessed with making sure that this was the best Easter ever. Bunny often caught him with a gentle smile on his face as he concentrated on his painting.

Bunny's nature reserve was called The Warren and many people came to see the beautiful flowers he grew every year and were meticulously taken care of. The Warren was Bunny's pride and joy and no one could ever take it away from him without him ripping them apart.

As Bunny painted one of his eggs his gaze moved to Jack and his fangs almost shot out in panic. There was delicate frost decorating the boy's clothing. This was no different from any other time, but it hit Bunny that this boy could control ice and his plants were nearly defenseless to the cold temperatures that always followed ice.

"Hey, Jack?" Bunny asked, cringing at the suspicious note in his voice.

"Yeah?" the ice child looked at him with a soft smile, obvious not hearing the tone of Bunny's voice.

"Are you in control of your powers?"

Jack blinked then frowned. "You don't trust me?"

"I do! It's just that I have to be careful."

Jack looked down at his paint smudged fingers. "I haven't lost control of my powers since 1968." he responded softly.

Bunny blinked. It had been a long time since he's lost control... Then it hit him. 1968. That great blizzard on Easter Sunday that had killed his beloved Lily. "Oh."

Jack put the egg in the carton then stood, grasping his staff. "Yeah. Oh." then he walked away, his bare feet barely making any noise in the grass.

Bunny quickly set down his things and followed him. "Jack! I didn't mean it like that. Please don't leave."

Jack's body froze. "But you hate me for that blizzard. I know you do Bunny... And I don't blame you at all. I hate myself. I want to know all their names, ages, who they loved, their dreams, and everything about them. I want to know all of them. All of the people I've killed over the years. If only that wasn't impossible. I've killed too many people Bunny and I hate myself for it." Jack's voice was choked in tears.

Bunny stood there in shock, staring at Jack. "I don't blame you. I've never met anyone with as much control as you have."

Jack put his hand to his face and wiped away his tears. When he thought that he looked semi-normal he turned around and looked at Bunny, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Please don't lie to me. Please."

"I would never lie to you about something so important."

"But it's not important..." Jack mumbled.

Bunny smiled softly and knelt in front of the boy. "Jackie, if it deals with how you feel it's important."

Jack's eyes widened slightly as a deep feeling filled him. His heart began to pound for the first time in three hundred years and he felt knew that as long as Bunny was always there he would be safe. It was hard to breath and he almost reached out to touch him. "B-Bunny." he whispered softly.

"Yes?" Bunny responded just as soft.

"I-I..." he closed his eyes and he wrapped his arms around himself. "I have to go." he ran then had the wind lift him into the air.

Bunny ran to catch him, but his hand was knocked aside by a quick puff of wind. He stood there and watched Jack leave until he was a small dot.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

Jack arrived at Santoff Clauson and sat beside the fire in a huge arm chair that dwarfed him.

"Jack?" asked a thick Russian voice.

The boy looked over and saw North with Tooth standing at his side. "Hey guys." he smiled softly.

"Vhat are you doing here? I thought you vere at Warren."

"I was, but then something weird happened. Now I'm just waiting for the sun to come up."

"What happened Sweet Tooth?" asked the young woman, walking over to him.

"I was with Bunny and I felt strange. My heart started to beat. My heart..." he put a hand to his chest directly over his heart and he started to cry. "Why? I don't understand." his voice trembled.

Tooth's eyes were huge and she looked at North who nodded slightly. Tooth looked at Jack, her amethyst eyes gentle and full of love. "Jack, that means he's your other half. He is who you are meant to be with. North and I are the same way, as are Sandy and Manny."

"I love him?" Jack whispered, horrified.

"It's not exactly love, but that is the best way to phrase it."

"No!" Jack jumped up and stumbled a tiny bit as sunlight slowly began to filter into the room.

"Jack vhat's wrong?" North asked, stepping forward.

"H-he can't care for me. I'm... I'm not a good... person..." Jack stumbled again, his eyes closing, the power the sun brought dragging him into sleep.

Tooth gasped softly and darted over, catching Jack as he fell. She lowered the two of them to the ground and cradled the boy's head. "I keep forgetting how young he is." she smiled, stroking his icy pale hair.

North chuckled. "Zat is understandable."

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

Meanwhile, Bunny was pacing his Warren, waiting for Jack to return. He was right. He was right!

Bunny remembered the moment he had stared into Jack's eyes and smiled softly. That moment his heart began to beat. Admittedly it was a sluggish beat at first, but then the beat became stronger and stronger. Now it was beating just like a human heart and he loved it. His memory of his heartbeat before becoming a vampire was fuzzy and practically non existent, but now he didn't need to try and remember. His heart beat once again.

Jack was meant for Bunny and now he was absolutely sure it was true. Now was the matter of addressing Jack without scaring him off. Bunny chuckled softly and ran a hand through his hair. Oh boy did he had his work cut out for him.


	9. The Soul

It was around noon when Bunny arrived at the North Pole and he walked in on a sight that made his fangs prickle with the need to attack. Tooth was cradling Jack while North was rubbing a salve on a burn on the boy's foot that hadn't been there before.

"What happened?" Bunny snarled, trying to keep his temper under control.

"Relax Bunny. Sun just came up and we did not see."

"You should have been more careful!" Bunny shouted.

Tooth frowned. "Bunny, he's okay. We caught the burn before it got too serious. Come take a look."

Well, he sure didn't need to be told twice. Bunny darted over, not even bothering to control his speed. He took Jack from Tooth and inspected the burn on his foot, every touch and every movement gentle and loving. Tooth was right. The burn was hardly something to freak out about. Bunny sighed and held Jack's head to his chest, right above his now-beating heart.

Tooth smiled. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. Bunny, you should have come to comfort him. We had to explain and he freaked out. We didn't have time to find out why he was so scared."

Bunny sighed softly and closed his eyes. "That's okay Tooth. I don't blame you." he opened his eyes and looked towards the red Russian. "Is there a room where I can put him until he wakes up? Preferably one with no windows."

North nodded. "Da. Follow me dis way." he waved a hand and led Bunny down a hall then opened a door to reveal a bedroom with one bed, one dresser, and one armchair. "Make him comfortable. I assume you will be staying with him, da?"

Bunny nodded, laying Jack on the bed and tucking him in. "Yeah."

"I shall send someone with blood to keep up your strength." and with that the Cossack left the room.

Bunny sighed and placed the blue blanket over the boy with great care. He then sat in the armchair and watched him sleep. Now, he wasn't being a stalker, but he was worried and his mat, who he'd finally found after so long being alone, had been wounded when he wasn't there. He was kind of jumpy.

A few minutes later a yeti walked in with a tray that had a mug of steaming blood on it.

"Thank ya mate." Bunny said, taking the mug.

The yeti garbled something then left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Bunny sipped his blood and reminisced about Easter Sunday, 1968...

_Flashback, year 1968._

_Bunny had a bouquet of lilies for his sweet Lily. She was beautiful. Her hair was the brightest gold, her skin as pale as a bowl of milk, and her eyes were a lovely violet that Bunny could stare at for hours._

_He was just cleaning up after the big Easter egg hunt he made for the kids every year then he was going to take Lily out to a fancy dinner. He stood and looked around, now that everything was clean he could leave._

_Strangely enough he was about as excited as a young child going to a candy shop, but love works in strange ways._

_Bunny tapped his foot on the ground three times and dove in with the lilies in his right hand._

_When a hole opened up above his head snow fell through in clumps. "What the?" he muttered then jumped out, immediately shivering. There was snow everywhere, about a foot deep, and a blizzard was roaring around his ears. "A blizzard..." he whispered, shivering violently. He began to search for Lily's home._

_When he reached the little cottage in the forest he knocked on the door as loudly as he could manage. "Lily!" he yelled. His fist slammed into the wood again._

_Once it was apparent that she wasn't inside he set the lilies down on the porch and sniffed the air around the tiny cottage then dread filled his heart. He slowly walked over towards a lumpy section of snow._

_Bunny knelt and brushed the snow away. When he saw a mass of golden-blonde hair he scooped up the body and moved the snow away to see the face. He knew it was her, but he had to see that it was her. A choked sob passed his lips when he saw her face. "Lily." he whispered brokenly._

_Without even needing to think about it his fangs elongated and he sank them into his wrist. Blood dripping off his arm he put it to Lily's mouth. "Drink Lily. Dear god please Lily. Drink." he, for lack of a better word, whimpered._

_It didn't take long for it to become obvious that she wasn't able to drink._

_Bunny cradled her to his body and stood, walking away in a daze. A wail drifted along the wind causing Bunny to perk up, but it didn't happen again so he kept walking._

_._

Bunny shook his head to clear it and looked over at Jack. That wail... What if that had been Jack? He grumbled and rubbed his eyes tiredly. It had been a while since the sun made him feel tired. Rather than fight it like he knew he could, he let himself fall asleep in the not-so-comfortable armchair.

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

Jack yawned and opened his eyes then did a double take when he saw Bunny in an armchair then blinked as he saw a bed. He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "I must have missed something."

Bunny straightened and yawned. "Hey Frostbite." he smiled.

Jack's heart began to pound and he fisted the blankets in his hands. "H-hey." he stammered.

"Are ya okay mate?" Bunny asked with concern.

"Yeah. Just fine." he said quickly, standing and busying himself with making the bed.

Bunny watched the boy with a frown. "Jack, can we talk?"

"I thought that's what we were doing." he said softly.

The elder vampire sighed and stood, walking over to Jack and making him look at him. "Jack, please."

Jack bit his lip and nodded. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Your heartbeat Jack. I can hear it."

Instantly Jack recoiled. "No! You have it wrong."

"I don't think I do. Jackie, you are my other half. I have waited for you for so long." Bunny whispered.

Jack stared at the Aussie with wide eyes. "B-Bunny..."

"Aster." he said softly.

"What?"

"My name. It's Aster."

Jack bit his lip and nodded. "It suits you. Better than Bunny actually, but I like both of your names."

Bunny chuckled. "Thanks Frostbite."

"So, why did my heart start again?"

"When a vampire finds its other half, its perfect match, their heart begins to beat. My heart and your heart have begun to beat because we are for each other. You are mine and I am yours."

"That means you... Love me?"

Bunny smiled and nodded. "Yes Jack. I love you."

"I-I love you too Bunny." the ice child smiled brightly. He wrapped his arms around the elder vampire's neck and held him close. "I love you."

"Oh Jack." Bunny whispered, holding Jack and rocking back and forth with him. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. Oh I love you."

Jack smiled as tears formed in his eyes. "Thank you." he tucked his head under Bunny's chin and nuzzled him lovingly.

In that moment Bunny felt so complete. He had found the person he'd been living for since he'd awoken in the dark of the night with no idea how long he'd be waiting for his life to really start.


	10. The Essence

After cuddling for a while Bunny took Jack to the kitchen to feed him. He obviously hadn't fed in a while and that was making Bunny really nervous.

"Are you gonna get really possessive?" Jack asked with a smile.

Bunny chuckled. "Probably." he responded.

Jack rolled his eyes with a laugh.

In the kitchen Bunny scooped Jack up and put him on the counter and began to heat up a mug of blood.

Jack watched, a strange look washing over his face, but it was gone before Bunny could tell what it was.

The Aussie sat beside Jack on the counter and handed him one of the two mugs, taking a sip of his.

Jack stared at the red liquid residing in the white mug. He closed his eyes and drank some of it then before he knew it the mug was empty. The icy teen blinked and looked at the empty mug with a frown.

"Are ya okay Snowflake?" Bunny asked.

Jack nodded and went to rinse out the mug.

"Ya sure?"

He nodded again. "Yeah." his voice was soft. "I-I'm gonna get some air." then he grabbed his staff and jumped out the window.

Bunny nearly darted to the window until he saw Jack gliding on the wind through the glass. He smiled and leaned back.

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

It had been several hours since Jack left and Bunny was starting to get worried.

"Leave ze boy alone." North chastised.

"I'm worried North. He should have come back by now!"

"Ah boy will be boy."

Bunny rolled his eyes and tapped his foot on the floor, vanishing before North could say anything.

A hole opened up above his head and he jumped out. His first destination was Jack's cave, but the scent of blood wafted towards his nose. He instantly ran in the direction. "Please don't be Jack. Please don't be Jack. Please don't be Jack." he whispered repeatedly.

There was a grown woman laying on the ground in the dirt, her eyes opened and glazed, and her throat torn out. He knelt and checked the woman's pale throat with a frown. There was no pulse, and he honestly should have known that there wouldn't be one. He sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm so, so sorry." he whispered.

Bunny stood, knowing there was nothing he could do for her, and followed the trail of her blood that lead away from her body. He hoped with his entire heart that Jack wasn't the one behind that pale throat, those parted lips, those glassy eyes... Bunny shook his head to clear it and stood in front of the pond where he first found Jack Frost and the water was still completely frozen.

He took a deep breath and walked over, trying to keep his gaze away from the bloody smears on the cold surface. Bunny peered inside the cave and tried to keep calm.

Jack was in the cave rocking back and forth with blood smeared down his front. "B-Bunny?" Jack whispered brokenly.

"I'm here Snowflake." he whispered, kneeling beside the ice child.

"I-I-I didn't mean to. I was just flying and she was walking. She smelled so good." he moaned, putting his hands to his head.

"Sh... It's okay." Bunny whispered, holding him close.

Jack began to sob. "I couldn't stop myself. She screamed so loud." he gasped for air, rocking back and forth. "I can hear her and she won't be quiet."

Bunny scooped him up and walked away from the cave. "We've gotta get ya ta North's."

"No!" Jack screamed. "They can't know! I won't be allowed with you." she whispered in horror.

"I won't tell them. I promise. It'll be our little secret." Bunny vowed.

"Why?" Jack whispered. "Why aren't you angry with me?"

"I'm not angry with you Jack. Not at all." he stroked Jack's hair. "Now, let's go. The sun is going to come up soon and I didn't bring any cream."

Jack nodded and clutched Bunny close.

When they arrived at the North Pole Jack was almost asleep and was trying to talk, but he made no sense.

Bunny sneaked Jack to the bathroom and filled the tub with water. By the time the tub was filled Jack was completely asleep so Bunny had to hold him while he washed the blood away.

When Jack was cleaned off he dressed him in blue pajama pants and a white t-shirt then took him to his bed, tucking his love in with a slightly pained smile.

Bunny was worried about Jack. While Bunny had never tasted blood straight from the vein he knew of the addiction. Sandy had never allowed him, North, or Tooth to ever drink straight from the vein so only Sandy would be able to help him with his predicament...

With a sigh Bunny went to Sandy. "Hey, I need to talk to you."

A question mark appeared above Sandy's head.  _What's wrong?_

"I normally don't do this, but please don't tell anyone what I say next." he said.

Sandy nodded.

"Jack killed someone last night Sandy. A young woman."

Sandy looked at him in shock and golden figures appeared above his head in a panic.  _Tell me everything!_

Bunny sighed. "He's only really fed from the vein. He's only had access to bagged blood here."

The tiny golden figure looked down tiredly.  _He must continue feeding from the vein then. Ween him off, but don't force him to quit immediately._

"But what if he kills someone?"

_Have him feed off you._

Bunny blinked in shock. "Off me?"

Sandy nodded.

"O-okay. I guess."

_Is that all you need?_

Bunny nodded. "Yeah. Thanks Sandy." he went back to Jack's room and looked him over. He sighed softly and laid beside him, cradling the boy close. "You're as cold as an icicle." he chuckled then he slowly fell asleep.

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

Bunny woke up to Jack curled up against him.

"She screamed the whole time." he whispered, his white hair falling in front of his eyes.

Bunny sat up and held Jack close. "I found out how to help you Jack."

"What?"

"I can help you not be hungry, and you won't have to drink from humans."

"Really?!" Jack looked at him in excitement.

Bunny smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah."

"How?"

"You'll have to drink from me."

Jack instantly recoiled. "No!"

"Sh. It's okay Snowflake. I want to."

Jack gazed up at him, icy blue eyes sparkling. "Really?"

Bunny nodded. "Just try it Snowflake. Just try it."

The icy teen nodded and his eyes flickered red. He slowly reached for Bunny's right wrist then sank his fangs into Bunny's warm flesh.

Instantly Bunny had to fight a gasp. He remembered being turned and it felt natural in that moment, but right now it was agonizing. As the blood was pulled out of his body it felt like broken glass was ripping his veins apart.

While Bunny was in pain Jack was thrown straight into ecstasy headfirst. He knew so much more about Bunny. Emotions and memories that weren't his but belonged so close to his heart swirled around his head. They were foreign, but he knew they were something that belonged with him. Feeding off Bunny brought on more intimacy than he thought he could ever have with his other half. He now knew what Tooth had been talking about.

Warm blood slid down Jack's throat and he gulped it down, so full of need and desire. After a moment he felt Bunny's discomfort causing him to pull away. "I-I'm sorry!" he said quickly.

Bunny smiled weakly. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." he whispered then he leaned close to Jack and licked a bit of blood off the boy's chin. "You, my love, are a mess." he crooned lovingly.

Jack blushed and felt a burst of confidence. "Let's go take a shower then."

Bunny laughed. "You need a lot of baths." he scooped Jack up and took him to the bathroom for the second time in a short amount of time and the two of them stripped down.

In the shower Bunny stared at Jack and instantly he felt such desire he'd never known before. He turned Jack towards him and brushed their lips together.

Jack gasped softly, but pressed firmly against Bunny, kissing him back. "I love you Bunny."

A possessive growl rose up in Bunny's throat and he kissed Jack fiercely. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Jack nodded. "Yes. I need you Bunny."

That was the best shower of Bunny's life.


	11. The Broken

Jack slowly woke up, his mind still a bit foggy. He truly couldn't wait until the sun no longer held this kind of power over him, but until then he would be perfectly fine with sleeping in Bunny's muscular arms. He laid there in his lover's warm embrace, avoiding breathing so that Bunny didn't realize he was awake.

"'Morning Snowflake." a highly accented voice said.

Jack inhaled and then his body allowed him to chuckle. "I wanted to lay here a bit longer though."

"Do you really believe that you waking up is your instant eviction notice? Mate, you can stay here as long as you want." Bunny murmured, burying his face in Jack's white hair.

Jack wrapped his arms around Bunny's neck. "Good." he pressed his lips to Bunny's with soft mewling noise.

Bunny chuckled softly and cupped Jack's face lovingly. "You need to feed Jackie."

Instantly Jack stiffened and pulled away. "I don't need to though."

Bunny sighed and raised his wrist to his mouth. With a woeful glance at Jack he sank his fangs into his flesh.

Jack tried to get away, but Bunny had already seen his blue eyes turn red.

"You know you can't avoid this darling." Bunny murmured.

His love shook his head desperately, tears falling down his face as his fangs elongated. "Don't make me!" he sobbed.

Instantly Bunny had no idea how to react. How could someone who was so familiar with complete and utter starvation say no to feeding?

Jack curled into a fetal position and sobbed brokenly.

Bunny watched his mate with shock. Just talking about feeding and Jack's mental stability deteriorated dramatically.

Jack's eyes shot open and he jumped up. He grabbed his staff and threw himself out the window.

Panic jolted through Bunny's veins and he darted to the window to see Jack flying away. He threw on a shirt and ran out of the bedroom. "North! I have to go, but I'll be back!" he tapped his foot on the floor and dropped down. When the hole sealed above his head a purple flower sprang out of the floor.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

Jack laid in his cave, fighting the overwhelming need to feed. He was starving and if he was completely honest with himself he knew he should have fed off Bunny, but he knew that would have overrun his body with the pure need to empty those paper thin veins of the lovely wine that flowed through them...

Without even realizing it his fangs had elongated.

He stared down at the pale color of his wrist then sank his powerful canines into his flesh. A low moan left his mouth as he sucked on his cold appendage.

"Jack!" an accented voice cried. A hand yanked his meal away from him.

The boy looked at Bunny and hissed loudly, his eyes as red as the blood leaking out of the corners of his mouth.

Bunny recoiled then sighed gently and chuckled. "Jackie..." he said lovingly. With kind touches he pushed Jack's head to his wrist.

Two pearly fangs pierced his arm causing him to wince. "Careful Frostbite. You don't want to tear me up." Bunny murmured softly.

After a moment a sharp pain hit Bunny's body as he literally felt himself be sucked dry. "Jack, you need to let go now."

The boy didn't seem to have heard him as he gulped down the blood desperately.

"Jack!" Bunny wrenched his arm away and nursed it while Jack laid on the ground gasping.

"I hurt you." Jack whispered.

"I'm okay Snowflake." Bunny said quickly.

"Why did you follow me?" Jack moaned.

"Because I had to make sure you were okay." the elder vampire murmured.

Jack looked at Bunny with wide eyes.

It took all of Bunny's will to not move away from his mate. His gaze stayed on Jack's mouth but this time it wasn't because he wanted to kiss him. It was because his own blood coated Jack's bow-shaped mouth.

Jack noticed the disgust on Bunny's face and his expression darkened dramatically. "Get out."

"What?"

"I said get out!" he screamed. "Go! Leave me alone!"

Bunny stood and stumbled out of the cave in shock.

Jack stared at him for a minute then he walked deeper into the cave until Bunny could no longer see him.

With a heavy heart Bunny walked away. In the end he decided to hide in the Warren.

**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG**

A few days later North went to the Warren. "Bunny?"

"I'm here mate." Bunny called. He was weeding in the tulip beds with dirt up to his knees.

North walked over. "Do you know where Jack is?"

"He's in his cave." Bunny replied without looking up.

"We cannot find him."

This got a reaction. Bunny stared into North's warm blue eyes then he stood. "Let's go find 'im." he said.


	12. The Love

Jack lay curled up in the snow… He thought he was in Antarctica but he couldn’t be sure. Where had wind brought him? All he knew was that it was cold and he wasn’t as afraid as he knew he should be at being somewhere strange. No. Not Antarctica. The scent of a warm body nearby hit Jack’s nose. His lake. That must be it. He was at his lake. Soon the scent of blood overwhelmed his relief at being somewhere familiar.

The icy teen curled up into an even tighter ball as he keened.

“Poor boy.” An oily voice said.

Jack forced himself to roll over and he looked up at Pitch who, in all honesty, looked like shit. All he could do was moan loudly as he felt his fangs ache and he knew his eyes were as red as the blood he so craved.

Pitch knelt and stroked Jack’s hair lovingly. “Sweet boy, you really should have joined me. I could have given you what you so desire without you needing to be haunted by that aggravating conscience which only stands in your way. If you feed from me you could have everything.”

Instantly Jack’s interest was peaked. Blood. He could have blood. He was so starving. Another moan left his pale lips.

“What was that Jack?” Pitch crooned.

Jack’s face twisted up in pain as he tried to summon speech to his mind, but he just couldn’t remember words. Sounds he could do, but words were beyond him in this state.

“When was the last time you fed my boy?”

“Pitch Black.” A new voice said. Jack knew this voice from somewhere… Somewhere so long ago it haunted his dreams and ruled his nightmares.

Pitch stood and turned. “Man in Moon. How strange to see you. No one has seen your physical body in centuries.”

Sure enough, the eldest living vampire stood before two of his three apprentices with the light of the moon highlighting his profile. “Leave him alone Pitch Black, and I may show you mercy.”

“Show _me_ mercy?” Pitch laughed. “You have been hiding for years while I have gathered strength.

Man in Moon slowly, carefully walked towards Pitch with no feeling in his eyes. “Leave him be Pitch Black. Your anger is at me, not the boy.”

Jack accidentally called attention to himself when he made a soft keening noise.

Instantly his sire knelt onto the ice and cradled him in his arms. “I am so sorry Jack. It is my fault this fate has befallen you. I only wish that you may forgive me.” He laid a gentle kiss on his forehead.

A whirring noise filled the air and the Guardians left the portal. They stared at the vampires in front of them. Both Sandy and Bunny had to restrain themselves from running to their lovers.

Pitch hissed at them all, knowing he had lost the battle. He faded into the shadows ominously.

Sandy was the first at Man in Moon’s side, his avatar’s tiny arms not being too effective in a hug, but the intent was clear to them all. He had missed his lover terribly, the time spend apart had been nearly too much for him to bear.

Man in Moon pulled Sandy close as he held Jack in his lap. “Your avatar still amuses me young one.” He said tenderly.

Sandy shrugged then waved a finger at him angrily.

“I know my love. I hid from you for too long.”

Bunny shattered the moment by storming up to them. “Give me Jack.” He snarled.

Man in Moon carefully handed Jack over then held Sandy close to his body.

The Aussie knelt and held the immortal teen close. “Drink Jack. Please.” He whispered brokenly, rocking back and forth. “I need you. I don’t care that you need to drink from me. I can take it.”

Jack slowly stirred then carefully bit into Bunny’s soft flesh. The moment Bunny’s hot blood flowed over his tongue he tore into the delicate tissue and gulped down the sweet ambrosia contained within.

Bunny’s breath hitched and he held Jack even tighter, ignoring the pain. “I’m sorry Jack. I should have been there.” He rasped weakly. “We’ll get through this together.”

Jack was too far gone in his feeding, the blood the only thing he could focus on. Soon the only thing holding Bunny up was Jack’s strong grip.

Man in Mood strode up and picked Jack up by his hood almost like you’d pick up a kitten.

Jack howled and tried to return to his meal, not noticing that Bunny slumped over.

“Silence.” Man in Moon hissed, his silver eyes blazing.

Instantaneously Jack did as he was told, but his gaze never left Bunny’s still form.

“You will leave him alone Jack.” The ancient vampire said as he raised his free wrist to his mouth. He sank his fangs into his own limb and held it up to Jack’s mouth. “Drink if you are truly that desperate for more.”

Not even listening he again drank, thick blood sliding down his throat.

All the Guardians stared at the sight in shock. Any thought that Jack was innocent was gone. He knew more about the darkness that resides in every vampire’s heart better than they knew they ever could.

When Jack’s thirst was sated he slumped against Man in Moon, tears wetting his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.” He hiccupped.

Man in Moon blinked then he smiled. “That is why I turned you, Jack. That is why I turned Sanderson. That is why I never turned Pitch Black. You do not feed to taste the blood. You feed to live.” He ran his long fingers through Jack’s pale hair. “And no one sane would ever fault you for it. I know that Aster does not.”

Jack stiffened. “Bunny!” he ran to the Aussie’s side, tears dripping down his face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He sobbed.

Bunny sat up and wrapped his arms around Jack, completely ignoring how much strength it took to do such a simple task. “Sh… I’m here Snowflake. I’m always gonna be here.”

Jack looked Bunny in the eye. “You don’t hate me?” and in that moment, he was more of a child than a ferocious vampire but there was no denying his strength.

“I could neva hate ya Jackie.”

Even more tears welled up in Jack’s blue eyes as he kissed Bunny passionately. “I love you Kangaroo.” He whispered.

“I love ya too Snowflake.” Bunny whispered.

In that moment, everything was perfect. They all knew that it couldn’t last, but that was okay, because they would all stand together to fight their next battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never fear everyone! This is definitely not over. They still have to address Jack's bloodlust.   
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!!


	13. The Forgiven

            Back at Santoff Clausen Sandy had requested that he and Man in Moon had a moment in private. All of the Guardians had agreed, besides both Bunny and Jack needed medical attention.

            Sandy looked at his lover with sorrowful eyes. **_Why?_**

            “I had to leave Sanderson. I truly did.”

            Fury sparked across the sand figures face before it crumpled to the ground, golden sand spreading across the floor.

            Several minutes later the familiar form of Sanderson Mansnoozie appeared. He stood at five foot eleven with blonde hair and golden eyes, his skin as pale as any other vampire’s. There was one problem, he looked furious.

            “Please Sanderson, please forgive me. I had to go.”

            **_You were my everything!_** Sandy shouted, carefully making sure that the elder vampire would be able to read his lips.

            “And you were mine.”

            **_That’s not fair and you know it._**

            “I know.” Man in Moon sat.

            Sandy ran to him and fell to his knees; gazing into those silver pools he loved so. **_My Tsar Lunar. Why did you leave me for so long?_**

            “I cannot tell you.” He whispered, cupping Sandy’s face in his palm.

            Sandy shook his head desperately. **_You can tell me anything._**

            “You are still so young.”

            **_Then just tell me why you did that to Jack. I could have given him blood. I could have helped him._** Sandy clutched his Tsar’s hands in his own.

            “I nearly did tell you about him, but if Pitch had decided to come after you? I could not bear it.”

            Sandy stood. You know as well as I that we cannot be selfish. **_You dragged him away from death and willingly trapped him in a cave completely alone. He was afraid Lunar! He was alone!_**

            “And it is not a fate I would wish on my worst enemy. I know that I have done Jack great harm and something not so easily forgiven, but please Sanderson. Forgive an old, tired man.”

            **_You have done so much to me. You just vanished only for me to discover that you were in Burgess three hundred years ago! I wouldn’t have told anyone. I would have stayed silent; heaven knows that’s something I am fantastic at!_** Sandy clutched at his hair in agitation. **_You left me. You caused my heart to beat then you left!_**

            “Were your Guardians not sufficient companions?”

            Sandy froze and stared at his sire with a shattered look. **_They were not you._** Blood tinged tears slid down his face as he turned away.

            Man in Moon stared at his lover’s back in shock. He had been sorry to leave him, but he never thought that friendship might not take the sting away. He slowly stood and went to Sandy, wrapping his arms around the trembling body. “I love you Sanderson. I truly love you.” He whispered as he closed his eyes.

            Sandy spun around and pressed his lips against his lover’s. His golden sand swirled around them and dragged Man in Moon into the past…

 

_Eight hundred years ago._

_Sanderson entered the ancient castle with a smile on his face. It had been so long since he left Man in Moon. They used to be inseparable until Sanderson had decided to leave and explore the world. He stood in the throne room and stared at the familiar throne. His Tsar always did have a taste for the dramatics. He shrugged it off and went to sit in the throne._

_There he sat, waiting for his lover to return to him. He did not comprehend the time that passed, not realizing that wars were being fought and won or that people were dying. He only knew that he had to wait._

_After sitting there for ten years the Guardians arrived and stared at their old friend just sitting there in that silver throne._

_North went to him and gave him a simple cup of blood._

_Sandy drank it slowly, his eyes staying on the door. When he finished he looked at his friends brokenly._ **He is gone.** _He mouthed weakly._

_Tooth wrapped her arms around Sandy and held him close as he sobbed silently._

_Bunny and North exchanged worried looks before kneeling beside their friend and hugged him as well._

_Sandy clutched his hair as he sobbed, his body shaking with the weight of his grief._

_“Does he still live?” Bunny asked._

_Sandy nodded._

_“Come friend. We go home.” North said._

_Together the friends left the decaying castle and not one of them looked back._

 

            Sandy lurched away from his Tsar and glared at him furiously. **_Do you see? Now do you know what you did to me? Ten years I waited for you. Ten years and you never came!_**

            Man in Moon pulled Sandy close again and held onto him tightly, bloody tears staining Sandy’s golden robe. “I am sorry Sanderson. I am so sorry my love. I never knew.”

            Sandy stood there like a statue then he slowly embraced Man in Moon, wary of this apology. Was it different now that he knew how he had felt all those years ago?

            Man in Moon slowly went to his knees but kept his arms around Sandy’s waist. “I will never leave you again. I swear it.” He whispered.

            The golden vampire smiled sadly and made the Tsar look at him. **_Don’t you see? It’s too late now. I have responsibilities that can’t just be tossed to the wind. That time before? I could have stayed with you and ignored the entire world, but now I have so many duties. I will not be selfish Tsar Lunar. I could never live with myself._**

            “I am so lucky to have loved you Sanderson. I see that it was my foolishness that harmed you and my foolishness that has taken you from my arms.” He slowly stood and gazed down at Sandy. “We will be together again Sanderson and then I will never let go of you.” He said softly.

            Sandy smiled and kissed the elder vampire passionately, wrapping his arms around his neck.

            Man in Moon pulled Sandy close to his body and kissed him back. The world was gone in that moment. This kiss trumped every single one in their past because this one was a promise. They would be together again, but until that time their love for each other would only grow stronger and stronger.

            Man in Moon pulled away from Sandy and smiled gently as he faded away in the moonlight.

            Sandy stared at the place were his Tsar had stood only moments before with tears on his cheeks and a smile on his lips. For the first time in oh so long, he held no resentment for his love in his beating heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to write this scene. Apparently I ship MiM and Sandy so hard... This is weird, but I think that they (at least in this story) are perfect together!   
> Please tell me what you thought darlings!  
> Have a wonderful day/night!

**Author's Note:**

> Have a wonderful day/night!  
> The Lonely Goddess


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